Handicapping Tournaments Aplenty at Fair Grounds Meet

by Jim Mulvihill, Communications & Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager | October 13, 2011

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots has added two new handicapping contests to the schedule for its upcoming 140th Thoroughbred Racing Season, including the first-ever Fair Grounds NHC Superqualifier on Dec. 17, with an unprecedented 10 berths to the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship on the line.

Fair Grounds will give away a grand total of 12 NHC seats in December, as two additional berths will be the top prizes in an online Claiming Crown Handicapping Contest administered by TwinSpires.com on Dec. 3. Fair Grounds will host its first Claiming Crown, the annual showcase for racing’s blue-collar heroes, that afternoon.

Also this meet, the Twin Spires Club VIP Handicapping Contests return on Jan. 7, Feb. 4 and March 3. The $250 winner-take-all affairs are restricted to Twin Spires Club Gold and Platinum VIPs and are free to enter for those top players.

Additional information and rules for all of Fair Grounds’ upcoming handicapping contests can be found online at www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com/Tournaments.



140th Thoroughbred Racing Season Handicapping Contests

Dec. 3 – Claiming Crown Contest on TwinSpires.com

The Claiming Crown Contest is presented online in partnership with TwinSpires.com. Entry fee is $200, or qualify in $25 “satellite” tournaments on any of the three days prior. Submit $2 win and place wagers on designated races from the Claiming Crown Day card. Order of finish is determined by highest total winnings. Top two finishers earn berths to the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship (including travel and lodging). Third through fifth place earn berths to the Horse Player World Series. All of the top five finishers receive $300 to go toward travel expenses.

Dec. 17 – NHC Superqualifier

The Fair Grounds NHC Superqualifier Handicapping Contest is a “real money” handicapping contest. Players put up a $300 entry fee plus a $150 live money bankroll. Contestants must wager exactly $5 Win/$5 Place/$5 Show ($15 total) on one horse in each of 10 consecutive races at Fair Grounds. The player with the largest bankroll after the final Contest race is the winner. The Top 10 finishers receive automatic berths to the $2 million DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship, Jan. 27-28, at Treasure Island Las Vegas. If the Contest attracts 150 or more entries, the Top 20 finishers will receive a portion of a cash prize pool that could be as high as $63,000.

Jan. 7, Feb. 4 and March 3 – Twin Spires Club VIP Handicapping Contests

During the live Thoroughbred Racing Season, Fair Grounds offers up free contests open exclusively to Platinum and Gold Twin Spires Club VIPs. Contests are held in the Gold Room and cash prizes total $250 every month.